


Sleepless Nightmares and Waking Dreams

by Eggtachi



Category: Naruto
Genre: An apology for basically ghosting, Fluff with no purpose, M/M, Modern AU, No beta we die like Neji, sorry bout that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29816178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggtachi/pseuds/Eggtachi
Summary: What do you do when the one you thought was so strong finally breaks down?
Relationships: Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi/Uchiha Shisui
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Sleepless Nightmares and Waking Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! Sorry for dropping of the face of the earth >~<  
> I got hit with writer's block so bad and had to step away (plus I got sick with the flu twice, lucky me). Getting back into the flow of things now so here's a smol drabble to make up for my absence. Hope ya enjoy :3

Sobbing.

The sound that roused him from his slumber drove the cold iron of fear deep into his stomach. He looked over, watching as his lover let out another bitter cry. His eyes were closed, sleep caging him deep within his own pain.

“Shisui? Shisui!” Itachi tried to gently shake him awake, tried to bring him out of whatever place held him captive. Eyes shot open, open but blind. Shisui choked on his own breath when he bolted upright, shouting incoherently as he folded in on himself, grabbing at his own hair.

“Shisui! Hey. It's okay. I’m here. It's going to be alright. It's going to be alright. Come here. It's going to be alright.” He wasn't sure where he found the strength to keep his voice calm while his mind went into a panic. He had never heard Shisui cry like this before. He had never seen Shisui break down like this before. That sturdy, unshakable foundation he called Shisui was crumbling away like sand before him and he didn't know how to even catch the pieces, much less keep them from falling away.

“It's going to be alright. I’m here. You're safe. Deep breaths. Deep breaths Shisui.” He kept talking, it was the only thing stopping him from breaking down into tears and drowning in his own feeling of uselessness as he watched his lover suffer and listened to his bitter cries of raw agony.

“Shisui. I’m here. It's going to be okay, I promise. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.” He slowly wrapped his arms around him, and when that didn't seem to make things worse, he pulled him close, praying to the gods for help. He tried to make his own breaths deep and steady, unsure of what else to do than attempt to influence his breathing over time.

It hurt. It hurt just hearing it, seeing it, he couldn't imagine the pain Shisui had to be in, but if he could take that pain onto himself instead, he would. Anything to stop his suffering. His whole body was locked up, muscles frozen like his mind. Still, he attempted to ease one hand away from his hair, just a gentle pressure against his wrist. It felt like one wrong move would break him, like one mistake would shatter the Shisui he knew forever and he would never get him back. Nausea swept over him, he felt faint, but he swallowed the feeling.

“It's my turn to be your foundation Shisui. I’m here. I’ll hold you. I’ll hold you so that even if you break into pieces more countless than the stars in the sky I’ll hold every piece and keep it all here so that none of it slips away.” He wasn't even sure if Shisui could hear him. But maybe somewhere in his subconscious his words would reach and do something, anything.  
  
“I’m here Shisui. Deep breaths. Breathe in...breathe out. Breathe in...breathe out.” He said it for his own sake too, tracking his own breaths so he wouldn't get lost in the same void that was swallowing his lover whole. He could feel his wrist starting to give, and he chose to cling to that small change, giving himself even just a sliver of hope that this was working.

It felt like hours the room was filled with desolate wails and drowned out whispers, it felt like hours he was coaxing just one hand to let go. And he wasn't even sure when the sobs began to fade or the tight bundle in his arms began to relax, the presence of ringing silence and a limp body felt sudden, like he had just been woken from a dream. The clock on the nightstand read 3:00 am when he heard a rasp in the vague form of his name.

“I’m here Shisui. I’m here.” He laced their fingers together, their wedding bands side by side. Shisui brought his hand close and pressed it to his forehead. He was drenched in sweat. Itachi didn't care.

“I’m sorry...you had to-”  
“No. No apologies. No regrets. Not now. Not for this. Let’s go have some tea, read together on the couch, get out those ice cream taiyaki you got from the store, let’s be together, in the present...because I think...I think you need that right now.” Itachi put a finger to his cousin's lips. He couldn't stand the thought of his lover apologizing for suffering.

“Yeah...I could hear you y’know; talking to me. I could hear it here.” Shisui placed his hand over his heart, and even in the dark Itachi could see him smile. The tears that he thought had calmed came spilling over, and he took a shuddering breath as he choked down a whimper.

“After all that the first thing you do is reassure me.” He wasn't entirely sure why he was crying. Maybe the emotional toll was greater than he realized. He felt a hand on his head, ruffling his hair.  
  
“Of course. Making sure you're okay is reassuring to me. Knowing you're okay is probably one of the most reassuring things in the world for me.” Itachi let go of his lover to cover his face, ashamed to be so weak in Shisui's time of need.

“I’m fine. I was just so worried about you.” The light flicked on and felt a hand that wasn't his own wipe away his tears, and he covered it with his own hand, leaning into the warmth.  
  
“I’ll be alright. Thank you for being my foundation.” Shisui winked at him and he felt his face warm, while butterflies danced in his stomach.

“Cute. C’mon, let's get that tea you were talking about.”  
“Only you get to call me cute.”  
“It’s a privilege I hold with pride.” The boyish grin that settled on Shisui's lips didn't have its usual carefree undertones. The corners of his mouth didn't pull back quite as wide as they normally would. Itachi scoffed, smiling as he took Shisui’s hand. As he stood Shisui pulled him into a tender kiss that lasted for a few seconds of eternity. Even when he parted, tanned fingers still fisted the fabric of his nightshirt, toned arms still encased him, as though he would vanish the moment Shisui let go.

“I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”  
“You’ll tell me when you feel ready and not a moment sooner.” Itachi's pout brought a strained chuckle from Shisui's chest, his body unable to express the amusement while fear still lingered in the back of his mind.

"I figured you would say that.” The sparkle in Shisui's eyes whenever he teased Itachi like that couldn't muster the strength to push past the clouds, but he knew it was there.

“But you tried anyway. You wanted to hear me say it.” Itachi played along, hoping to give that spark the hope that came with acknowledgement, even if he couldn't bring it forward.

“And if I did?” Shisui brushed their noses together, his hands finally releasing their death grip on his clothing. Itachi didn't let him pull away entirely.

“Asking me to say something directly isn't usually your style.” Itachi quipped, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Ah, you know me well. How about you pick out some books for us to read and find a good station on the radio while I make the tea.” Shisui squeezed his hips before letting go.

“Alright. I love you Shisui. Don't ever forget that.”  
“I’ll try. You might have to remind me, you know how forgetful I am.”  
“I suppose I might then...you can use the caffeinated one. I don't think either of us will be going back to sleep and we have off tomorrow anyway...” he opened his mouth to say more but Shisui put a finger to his lips and shook his head.  
  
“I suppose that’s true. But that’s alright. The waking moments I spend with you are sweeter than any dream could even hope to be.” Itachi rolled his eyes but laughed all the same. He would do anything for Shisui. And if that meant keeping quiet about the numb look on his face for now, he could do that. His words were honest and his hands were steady. They would be okay in the sweet moments of this waking dream.

**Author's Note:**

> This was made pre writer's block but it's something to tide y'all over until I get my flow back. Stay safe out there and have an awesome day :D


End file.
